Warren Leight's jazz-flecked drama, Side Man, which rose from Off Broadway to a Broadway run at the Roundabout Theatre to a second transfer to the John Golden Theatre, has announced an official re-opening date of Nov. 8.
Film star Christian Slater (of the movies "True Romance," "Heathers") has been performing in previews since Oct. 20. Spokesperson Susan Chicoine confirmed Oct. 26 that Slater will stay with the show at least through Jan. 20, 1999.
Slater replaced Robert Sella as Clifford, the narrator of the piece, which tells of a man's love of music ruining his marriage. Sella is currently treading the boards in Cabaret , replacing Tony-winner Alan Cumming as the Emcee while Cumming is on-leave to appear in Julie Taymor's film adaptation of Titus Andronicus.
The rest of the Golden Side Man cast match the play's Roundabout Theatre Company incarnation. Featured are Kevin Geer, Michael Mastro, Joseph Lyle Taylor, Angelica Torn, Wendy Makkena and Frank Wood. Michael Mayer directs.
On Oct. 22, Leight won the 1998 George Oppenheimer Playwriting Award for Best New American Playwright, for Side Man. Although The Great White Way hasn't seen him for a while, Slater's no stranger to the stage, having notably appeared in Merlin with Chita Rivera and Doug Henning. Slater, known for his Jack Nicholson-esque demeanor, rose to stardom in the late eighties after appearing in the dark cult-classic "Heathers." Other films starring Slater include: "Hard Rain," "Broken Arrow," "True Romance" and "Pump Up the Volume."
Side Man is produced by Weissberger Theater Group, Jay Harris, producer/Peter Manning/Ron Kastner/James Cushing/Joan Stein. The design team is Neil Patel (sets), Tom Broecker (costumes), Kenneth Posner (lights) and Ray Schilke (sound).
Leight's drama opened at Off-Broadway's CSC space (produced by the Weissberger Theater Group, Jay Harris and Peter Manning),where reviews were strong enough for Roundabout Theatre to pick up the show, in place of a planned Bacharach/David revue that didn't make it past a West Coast try-out. Side Man played at the Roundabout's Stage Right mainstage through Sept. 13.
For ticket information on Side Man's reopening at the Golden, call (212) 239-6200.
